The 72-hour freeze has seen temperatures sink lower than Moscow, Finland and Iceland with warnings the mercury could plunge to -15C (5F) in the North and -8C elsewhere.

And the cold weather is likely to last into the ­middle of next month.

The Met Office said colder-than-usual conditions are likely until the second week of February with snow likely to be “more frequent”.Jonathan Powell, of ­Vantage Weather Services, said Friday’s onslaught will attack the South-west before tearing through the rest of the country.

He said: “Britain is in for another blanketing of snow from Friday. Most places could see a covering with up to 10 inches likely in the North.